Liquid-ejecting apparatus



Aug. 7, 1945. F. J. LEE

LI UID EJECTING APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1944 [Ill-J nfl k Patented Aug.7, 1945 LIQUID- EJECTIN G APPARATUS Floyd J. Lee, La Habra, Calif.,assignor of one half to J. Leonard Hull, Los Angeles. Calif.

Application May 13, 1944, Serial No. 535,446

8 Claims. (cr es-31) This invention relates to a liquid-ejectingapparatus, such for example as those used in expelling the contents of afire extinguisher. Heretofore the means employed for expelling thecontents of a fire extinguisher have been greatly affected bytemperature. Y

A common method of expelling the contents of fire extinguishers has beenby the reaction of chemicals to produce a gas such as carbon dioxide.The reaction rate of such chemicals is so affected by temperaturethat'the extinguishers are not usable except under particulartemperature conditions. Various other means, such as the relea'se'ofcondensed gases in the fire extinguishers, have been employed forexpelling the contents thereof, but such means are likewise subject towidefluctuations under temperature conditions, and in particular'mayutterly fail in cold temperatures.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a means forejecting the contents of a fire extinguisher or other apparatus, whichmeans is substantially unaffected by temperature. Another object of thepresent invention is to provide an ejecting means for liquid which inaddition to being unaffected by temperature includes means forinitiating its action which means areentirely enclosed within theapparatus and are automatically responsive to an inversion of theapparatus for initiating the liquid-ejecting operation.

' The liquid-ejecting apparatus of the present invention operates by thegeneration of gases through burning of powder trains. Previous to thepresent invention it has been suggested to employ powder in the form ofa cartridge as a means for generating gases for ejectingliquids from'apparatus,"the cartridge being ignited by a striking pin actuated bytrigger mechanism extending to the exterior of the apparatus-These vprior devices are unsatisfactory in that th'e'cartridges on beingignited fire so rapidly'as to generate a large and excessive pressure atinstigation of the operation of the devices, which is dangerous to theoperator. The pressure in the devices is rapidly built up to over asatisfactory limit and thereafter, as the contents of the apparatus areexpelled, the pressure decreases, the result being that if thecartridges employed are sufiiciently restricted in size to allow forsafe operation of the device at the starting time, the pressuredecreases so rapidly that it is insuflicient for proper ejection of theliquid. If sufficient 4 powder is employed to insuresuiiicient gaspressure to fully eject the contents of the apparatus, N

then a dangerous pressure exists at the igniting time. The burning timeof powder cartridges not only variesw'ith the pressure on the cartridgesbut also varies with the past history of the cartridge. Cold temperaturemay cause the separation of powder in a cartridge and the formation ofchannels through the cartridge with the result that the firing time ofthe cartridge is very greatly accelerated.

These disadvantages of prior apparatus using powder as a fluid-ejectingmeans, are eliminated in the apparatus of the present invention throughthe use of the burning substance or powder in the form of a multiplicityof separate powder trains or fuses. By supplying the powder which onignition is to form the ejecting gas in the form of slow-burning fuses,Iam able to continue the gas ge'neratin-gperiod substantially throughoutthe period of time used for ejecting the liquid from the apparatus. As aresult I avoid the creation of excessive pressures at the instigation ofthe operation andmaintain a more uniform pressure of gases for expellingthe liquid throughout th period of liquid ejection.

Moreover through the employment of a multiplicity of powder trains orfuses I have found that the action of the apparatus is substantiallyunaffected by temperature. There is'no appreciable mass of powderpresent in any one train or fuse capable of being affected bytemperature change so as to separate or channel. The firing time ofthepowder'trains therefore remains substantially unaffected by theirprevious exposure to temperature changes or to the temperature of theapparatus at the time of operation.

The present invention also includes a trigger actuating means for firingor igniting the powder trains which is entirely enclosed within thehousing of the apparatus and includes a weight releasing means foractuating the trigger on inversion of the apparatus to predeterminedposition, the weight releasing means including the time-delay action inorder to lessen the chance of instigation of operation by accidentalinversion.

This invention, together with other objects and advantages of theinvention, will be fully understood from the following description of apreferred form or example of a fire extinguishing apparatus embodyingtheinvention. I have, therefore, described the preferred example of theinvention in connection. with the accompanying drawing, in which vFigure 1 is an elevation, mainly invertical section;

, ling apparatus previously used therewith. No

operating means which extend outside of the ex,

tinguisher are required, Thus as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, 2 is any usual omen-' ventional form of extinguisher body iorother The extinguisher 2 is indicated as having the usual outlet 3 isprovided with any usual or preferred cap I threadedas indicated at 5 tothe neck of. the body. i i 1';

The apparatus of the-present invention in.- cludes a mountingmember Ginto which. are threaded a number of mounting pins I, prefer ablypointed at their ends, by means of whichlthe apparatus may be suspendedfrom: the n'eckof the extinguisher body 2'. Three: or'morewofi theadjustable pins 1 are provided' for aflordin'g'the suspension mounting.The mounting-member 6 is provided with a recess B'inWhich is-pivotallymounted: a firing lever or triggers, lever 9 is pivoted on anextensionof thedisc B'a which closes the bottom of the mounting mem- Thefiring lever ari'sprovid'ed' with a firingpin positioned'for-striking' apriming cap M1- The priming cap 10' is mounted on a plug (I I" of: a;tube I2. Below the plug H' is provided a disc'30,made of any suitablematerial, such as paper, adapted to be burned out. Below the disc'30' isprovided a cap 29 having two'openings-therethrough', one for the fuse I3andthe other serving as" a gas discharge opening. The opening throughthecap 29 registers with similar. openings: througlr the plug H. Below thecap 29'is a: short sleeve 28 into which there is. extended: the ends of:a. bundle of firing trains or fuses: l5 held withinthe tube I2.The-upper end of the fuses-' terminate slightly below the cap- 29 andthe intervening space' is filled with a supply of powder: H which servesas a priming charge for igniting each of the fuses L5. The fuses l5extend to substantially the bottom of the tube l-2.,-.'I 'he tube 12 isattached' at its upper; end .to the' 6a and is provided. witha; closurecap I6 .atits lowerend. i e

The fusesor powder trains l-5. may be constructed in various. manners,theessential need apparently being that the: powderl to be ignitedshould be separated into a multiplicity .of trains of powder maintainedseparatelyfrom. each other. For example, I havev employedordiiiaryfusing material whichcontains a. small core of powder wrapped in jutehaving an asphalt coat- These fuses are assembled in a bundle, asindicated, and for holding them in this. position theymay be tiedat aplurality of points along the length of the fuse, as indicated by thecord I I. Each individual fuse 15 extends substantially theentire'length of'the tube l2, and each individual tube is preferably ofthe type designed to" consume approximately 55 seconds in burning fromend to end.

by which it m'alybe attached to a delivery hose, not shown. The body.

. I8 so as to be capable of falling freely and rapidly through the tubel8 when the apparatus is inverted and the weight released, as hereafter.15. liquid holder from which th 'contents are to be ;f., ejected).

es ibe 1 4 "...The diameterotthe weight should however conform fairlyclosely to that of the bore through the tube I8 fdr' reasons hereinafterpointed out.

The firing l The. lower end of the weight 20, as viewed in Fig. 1, isprovided with a recess and across the recess.- is providedra: rod orwire-2 -A' cap 22 is threaded to the lower-end1 of the tube l8: and fromthe vbase of: the cap there extendsa' hellcally curved: or corkscrewshaped: wire 23 which contacts the Wire: -2 I a so 315: prevent axialmovement of the weight 20, except as theweight ll rotates inaccordance;with the pitch of the: wire 23. The wire 23= and-the Wi'iezZltconstitute'a'time delay means for. retarding the'fall or the" weight 20through the tube l 8 wlien the apparams is inverted. By-providing afairly close although free running spaceibetween the' weight 20? and thetube IS the apparatus must be inverted towith in a few degreeso't'thetrue'vertical'positiom before the frictionfbetweenthe sides of; theweight and tubeds reduced to" the point wherethe weight 20 may be.rotated' to" untangle itself from the wire 23. When the apparatus isinverted there is a short interval of time during which the weight isrotated to release itself from'wire 23-before=the weight falls throughthe'tube' t8; In this" way I protect the operator of the apparatusfrom':acctdental discharge of the apparatus which: might otherwise I occur'n'ierelyybya. momentary inver sion of the apparatus.-

i l 1 When the apparatus is inverted and the weight 20' released; .it'falls until 'it" strikes theipivota'lly mounted firing" lever9;=instigati1ig the operation of'the apparatus "1 The mounting member 6is indicated as iiavinc an opening closed by a'pIugr25; The plug: 25" isdesigned so' that when it isdesired' to ship the apparatustheplu'g 25may beremoved amr'a suitable means; such as a wire (not-shown), may beinserted for contacting the weight. 20 tca'hold it imposition whenshipping the" apparatus. The contents of the tube I 2- are obviouslycompletely sealed o'fi from the: liquid contained. Within: theextinguisherbodyl v 1 l 'A blow-out port isprbvided; closed b'yr'a blow=out seal 21. This blow-out seal Ill-is preferably designed to blow outonthe generaticn lot about 10 pounds of pressure inn the ejector apparaatus and such amount of pressureis approximately that produced burningthe powder M which ignites the powder tIEillSwl5. When1'tlie seal; 2:!is blown out gas pressure is admitted intovthe bodyz; H y g r Theapparatus of thepres'ent' invention mom While the particular form of theapparatus herein described is well adapted for carrying out the objectsof the present invention, it is to be understood that the apparatus iscapable of a number of modifications and changes, and this invention isnot limited to the particular form shown, but includes all suchmodifications and changes as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

l. A liquid-ejecting apparatus, comprising a body member for containinga liquid, a combustion chamber mounted within said body member, aplurality of powder trains within said combustion chamber adapted toproduce a gas on slow burning, means for igniting said powder trains,communication means between said combustion chamber and said body memberand a blow-out seal in said communication means.

2. A liquid-ejecting apparatus, comprising a body for the liquid to beejected, a gas generating means positioned within said container, saidgas generating means comprising a combustion chamber, a plurality ofseparate powder trains mounted in said combustion chamber, and means forsimultaneously igniting said powder trains.

3. A gas generating unit for a liquid-expelling apparatus, whichcomprises a combustion chamber, a plurality of parallel fuses positionedin said combustion chamber, a primer, and means for substantiallysimultaneously igniting one end of said fuses on ignition of saidprimer.

4. A gas generating unit for a liquid expelling apparatus, including amounting member for mounting the unit inside of the liquid holdingcompartment of the liquid expellin apparatus, said mounting member beingconnected to a combustion chamber, a plurality of parallel separatepowder trains mounted in said combustion chamber, and firing means forsimultaneously igniting one end of each of said powder trains.

5. A gas generating unit for a liquid expelling apparatus, including amounting member for mounting the unit inside of the liquid holdingcompartment of the liquid expelling apparatus, said mounting memberbeing connected to a combustion chamber, a plurality of parallelseparate powder trains mounted in said combustion chamber, wiring meansfor simultaneously igniting one end of each of said powder trains, saidfiring means including a firing trigger, a weight, and weight-guidingmeans operative on inversion of the unit.

6. A liquid-ejecting apparatus comprising, a body for containing aliquid to be ejected, a combustion chamber mounted within said body, aplurality of parallel separate powder trains within said combustionchamber, firing means for simultaneously igniting one end of said powdertrains, said firing means including a trigger, a Weight movable tostrike said trigger, and a timedelay release for said weight.

7. A unit adapted for installation entirely within a fire extinguisherbody, said unit including a mounting member having means for supportingthe unit from the neck of the extinguisher body, a combustion chamberconnected to said mounting member and having a plurality of parallelseparate powder trains, means for substantially simultaneously ignitingeach of said powder trains, including a trigger, weight-actuating meansfor said trigger, and a time-delay release for said weight.

8. A wire extinguisher comprising an extinguisher body for holding aliquid to be expelled, a gas generating unit for expelling the liquidfrom said .body, mounted entirely within the body, said gas generatingunit comprising a com bustion chamber mounting .a plurality of separatepowder trains, including a trigger means for substantiallysimultaneously igniting said powder trains, and means operative oninversion of the unit for automatically actuating said trigger.

FLOYD J. LEE.

